Itinerary: Rome to Amalfi Coast

TRAVEL

When my sister and friend first booked our trip from Rome to Amalfi Coast, it seemed so daunting and difficult to plan. However, we were able to get to Amalfi Coast in one piece and on top of that we had a trip to remember! I hope this post will help anyone who is in the same situation. 

ROME

First, we flew into Rome since the flights to Rome were significantly cheaper than flying to Naples (Naples is the closet airport to Amalfi Coast. Unfortunately, you cannot fly directly to Amalfi Coast). Also, we thought it would be fun to have a pit stop at Rome while we were in Italy anyways. In this section, I will explain the bus system from the airport to city center and I will make a list of things I recommend you doing during your stay in Rome.

Transfer from Fiumicino to City Center 

When you leave departures, turn right and follow the signs that take you to the buses. There is a booth for Terravision Bus and you can get a bus ticket for about 7 euros. This took us to Termini Station where we walked to our Airbnb. If you want to know which Airbnb we stayed at CLICK HERE. Our host was very nice and helpful. Also, the location was perfect and everything was  a walking distance away. It was an hour walk to the Vatican, a 25 minute walk to Trevi Fountain, and a 15 minute walk to the Colosseum. I honestly like to walk, so this was not that far for me. However, if you're not a walker then the train is close by and taxis are on the streets near this airbnb.

Things to do In Rome

   1. Trevi Fountain

I recommend that you get there as early as possible to avoid the crowds. We woke up at 4AM, so we could leave by 5AM. I do have to say this was a tad too early. I think if you get to the fountain no later than 6AM you can still get some great shots at this location. Even if you get there early, you can sit by the fountain and enjoy the view. There are people there at 5AM just hanging out and enjoying the early morning.

2. Vatican City

Did you know that the Vatican is the smallest country in the world! It is only 100 acres, which is 1/8th the size of New York's Central Park. After you go here, you can say that you went to the smallest country in the world! How cool is that?

3. Colosseum

Of course you have to go to the Colosseum when you go to Rome, but I will let you know how to get to the famous Instagram spot for the Colosseum.  Go to Colosseo Metro Cafe. There are stairs on the right side of the Cafe. Walk up the stairs and at the top, turn left. There will be a parking lot right in front of you. There you will find a ledge that overlooks the Colosseum. Happy photo taking:)

4. Spanish Steps 

Here, you can take a bottle of wine and a box of pizza and enjoy gorgeous view. You can watch as people walk by and just unwind after a long day of touring the city.

5. Alter of the Fatherland

My sister and I stumbled across this building and we were captivated by it's beauty. You have to walk the white marbles stairs all the way to the top of the building to enjoy the gorgeous view of Rome from above! There is a free museum inside. Also, you can pay money to go even higher to see a better view, but my sister and I did not do this option.

AMALFI COAST

To get to Amalfi Coast from Rome, you have to take the train. To buy your train tickets CLICK HERE. The train is about 50 euros for round trip. However, the farthest the train will take you is Naples. From Naples, you need to take a bus or a private car to your Airbnb. Our Airbnb host arranged a private car for us. Ask your Airbnb host about private car services. The total amount was 90 euros including tip. This took us to Sorrento, which was where we decided to stay for the remainder of the trip. 

SORRENTO

We decided to stay in Sorrento, which is a cruise ship port close to the Amalfi Coast. At first, we were hesitant to stay in Sorrento and we didn't know if we wanted to get different Airbnbs for each night. However, I am so happy that we decided to stay in Sorrento for our whole trip. Sorrento was close enough to different parts we wanted to visit and it was easy to get around from Sorrento. Also, I loved the vibe of this city. It was bustling at night and there was so much to do all the time. There is a ton of shopping, restaurants, beach clubs, and so much more! If you want to know which Airbnb we stayed at, CLICK HERE.

In Sorrento, we went to Leonelli's Beach Club. It cost around 14 euros to get a chair at the beach and I think it was worth every penny. At Sorrento, they have a spot for the public beach, but it gets super crowded and the view is not as nice. I would recommend spending money at a beach club. Not to mention, Leonelli's has the best seafood pizza! This is a must when you go here.

Another spot you need to stop by in Sorrento is Hotel de La Syrene. My friend and I were walking in Sorrento and we stumbled on this hidden hotel. It had such a gorgeous view of the water and the cliff. It's definitely an Instagram-worthy spot to visit during your trip here. Every corner of this hotel is gorgeous!  

POSITANO

To get to Positano from Sorrento, you have to take the bus from the train station. When you get to the train station you can buy a bus ticket for 10 euros. The bus ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can take the bus as many times as you want to any of the bus stop locations. The buses go all the way to the city Amalfi, but we did not have time to go all the way out there. Instead, you went to Positano. The buses do get super crowded, so I suggest going early. I ended up standing for the entire hour and let me just say it was a long and bumpy ride. 

You want to get off at the Positano Sponda bus stop. We made the mistake (or blessing in disguise) and got off at the Positano stop. This dropped us off at the top the the mountain. When we used the GPS to see how to get to the beach, it said it was over 3 hours to walk all the way down the mountain. Luckily, we found a shortcut stairway on the right of the bus stop that took us all the way down the mountain in a few minutes. Honestly, I would suggest doing this because you can view the entire city from the very top and the gorgeous view is worth the walk. 

   

When you get to the beach, you should pay to get a seat at the beach club. The price is around 25 euros, but you get to be away from the busy crowds and have a huge section of the beach. Once you buy a chair for the day, you can keep your receipt to get back into the beach club as often as you want. 

Here is a list of places I suggest you eat at while you are in Positano:

1. Hotel Covo Dei Saraceni 

Go to this hotel to get a lemon sorbet! The lemon sorbet comes in a real lemon. It is pretty and it tastes even better. It is so refreshing and delicious.

2. Chez Black

This is the oldest restaurant in Positano. I got the seafood spaghetti and their fish of the day. Their food was so fresh and flavorful.

3. Bruno

Go to this restaurant after your long day at the beach. It was conveniently located next to the bus stop to get back to our Airbnb. When you get to Bruno, ask for a seat outside! You can see the ocean and all the colorful homes on the side of the cliff. In addition, all the food is delicious. I recommend getting the anchovies, grilled vegetables, and fish. Don't forget to finish your meal with dessert! It will be the perfect way to end your day at Positano.

CAPRI

Capri was the highlight of our whole Italy trip! I would definitely recommend a day trip to Capri. To get to Capri from Sorrento, you need to take the ferry. To buy ferry tickets, go to the port and get them at the booth. You can buy the tickets in advance, so they don't get sold out. It was around 40 euros round trip. When we got to Capri, we shopped around and then walked to the top of the mountain. I highly recommend taking the lifts up the mountain because the walk up is brutal! You can buy lift tickets right when you get off the ferry. When we got to the top, we were able to capture some amazing views. 

Then, we ate at Villa Brunella Capri. I am not kidding when I say that this view is breathtaking. You can see the gorgeous cliffs and ocean. Also, the food and service is great. 

After our light lunch, we went back down the mountain to meet Tony for our private boat tour. To book your private boat tour with Tony contact him through Instagram with the handle tonynocapri. I highly recommend him. He is professional and very accommodating. We viewed all of Capri on a four hour boat tour for 350 euros including tip (this was for three people). We went to different grottos and even swam in the middle of the ocean. 

At the end of the day, we rode the the ferry back to Sorrento.

BACK TO ROME

We had to catch the plane in Rome, so we went back to Rome the night before. We took another private car arranged by our Airbnb host. The car took us to Naples train station. From there we took the train back up to Rome. When we got off at Rome train station, we bought bus tickets to the airport in advance. I hope this post helps anyone who is looking to go to Amalfi Coast. It was a lot of work to get there, but I think it was worth the trip. Let me know if you have any questions or need any other recommendations. I am always happy to help:)

xoxo,

Plane Jane